Adjustable stool



Filed Oct. 21', 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZWH/VEY June 1, 1943. w su I 2,320,688

ADJUSTABLE S TOOL Filed Oct 21, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 v [MA/Tm? i 1711/5 MH ml;

to receive an elongated foot portion 13.

Patented June 1, 1943 ADJUSTABLE STOOL Louis Wesling, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Benjamin Franklin Forsyth, Chicago, Ill. 7

Application October 21, 1940, Serial No. 351,998

7 Claims.

- The invention relates to improvements in adwith a stool of improved construction embodying novel means to facilitate quick, easy accurate and positive adjustment in its height.

An object of the invention is to provide a novelly constructed stool embodying novelly arranged means in the form of a clamp manually and automatically operable to facilitate height adjustment.

Another object is to provide an adjustable stool with novel easily actuated mechanism mechanically designed to positively lock the stool in any position of minute adjustment and be easily and quickly manipulated to release.

Another object is to provide an adjustable stool with novel structural features of a character which greatly simplify its manufacture and consequently minimize its cost.

The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as will. appear hereinafter as the description proceeds will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specification, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central sectional view of the improved stool, showing parts in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, showing parts broken away.

3 is a fragmentary inverted plan view of the base, showing the bottom plate partially broken away.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the standard showing parts of the clamp or look in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 isa sectional View, similar to Fig. 4, showing the clamp in a released position and omitting the housing.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the clamp in another position of release.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the clamp plates.

The stool. as best shown in Fig. 1, has a dished circular base ll preferably formed of sheet metal having radial reinforcing ribs each providing a radial channel on the bottom face of said base As best illustrated in Fig. 3, each foot portion is substantially channel shaped and is flanged on its inner end and curved to conform to the circumferential surface of a lower tubular member i l of a standard indicated generally at IS. The other or radial extending end of each foot porbearing recesses 26.

tion l3 assumes the shape of an inverted cup l6 adapted to receive a slider H.

The base i l is suitably reinforced by a bottom plate l8 which is centrally apertured and flanged to fit snugly about the bottom end of the standard member M. The base H and bottom plate 18 preferably are welded to the member M, and the foot portions l3 are welded to said base, standard and bottom plate, thus providing a substantially integral unitary structure. I

Although the standard member 14 may be formed of seamless tubing, it'is preferable that it be made of two like halves fitted together prior to insertion of its lower end portion in the base; which insertion retains the two halves joined at that end. A flanged ring l9 may be fitted over and welded to the upper end of the member M to secure the halves at that end.

The standard l5 also includes a cylindrical post 2! which preferably is tubular in form and is arranged with its lower end telescoped into the member Hi. The upper end of the post 2| preferably carries a substantially conic-a1 member 22 having a horizontally disposed circumferential margin 23 formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 24 on its upper face, each of which is arranged to receive a ball bearing 25.

A plate 26, having a complemental circumfer ential channel 27 on'its bottom face, is disposed over the ball bearings 25 thereby providing a suitable raceway for said bearings. A seat 28 is posi tioned over the plate 26 and is supported thereby. Said seat may be retained in place in any suitable manner, however. it is preferable that a metallic ring 29, having a downwardly inwardly flared inside annular margin Si, be secured thereto by suitable screws 32. The inner circumferential edge portion 33 of the margin 3| is inclined upward and inwardly to engage the bottom face of the conical member 22, inwardly radially of the The anti-friction mounting for the seat, as described, provides adequate means to retain the seat upon the post 2 l without materially restricting or impeding rotary movement thereof. I

As best shown in Fig. 2, the retaining ring 29 may be ofiset downwardly at suitable locations on its under surface, as at 34, to receive mounting elements 35 of a substantially U -shaped frame 35 which constitutes a back and two arms for said seat.

The standard l5, consisting of the telescoping shown in Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive, is provided whereby the relatively movable telescoping members may be securely locked in any position of relative adjustment and quickly released. As shown, the latch includes a substantially rectangular bar 37 positioned edgewise with one end 38 extending loosely through a vertical slot 39 in one wall of the inner member 2|. The portion of said wall diametrically opposed to the slot 39 is provided with a substantially rectangular cutout 4| of a size sulficiently large to freely receive a rectangular arcuately formed clamp plate 42 loosely carried adjacent the other end 43 of the bar 31. thus disposed for surface engagement with the inside surface of the outer member l4 and is held against material displacement by a transverse pin 44 carried in the bar 37 adjacent its bottom edge.

The outer telescoping member I4 is provided with longitudinally extending, diametrically opposed slots 45 and 46 through which the extending ends 38 and 43 respectively, of the bar 31 project. It should be apparent that the bar 31 is carried by and moves with the inner member 2| throughout the length of the slots 45 and 46. The end 43 of the bar 31 preferably is reduced in width to provide a shoulder 41 and has mounted thereon a second or external clamp plate 48 which, when the parts are in their assembled relation, is disposed over the outside face of the lower member l4. A pin 49 securely mounted in the end 43 of the bar loosely retains the clamp plate 48 in place.

When the stool is in use; i. e., while carrying a load; the upper edge of the slot 39 bears downwardly against the top edge of the bar 31. This co-action initially carries the bar 31 and the plates thereon downwardly in unison until the bottom edge of the inner clamp plate 42 rests upon the opposed lower edge of the cut-out 4| in the inner tube. Continued application of pressure tilts the bar 31 downwardly at its end 38 thus moving the pin 44 thereon tightly against the inside face of clamp plate 42. This bar movement results in a camming or wedging action jointly effected by pin 44 and pin 49 against the respective plates 42 and 48 thereby squeezing or clamping said plates tightly against opposite faces of the outer member M. The clamping action thereby effected, and illustrated in Fig. 4, prevents any telescopic movement inwardly, of the inner member 2| relative to the outer member |4. Obviously, any increase in the load will intensify the clamping action.

The latch is readily released to elevate the seat simply by grasping the seat and lifting the same while holding the outer member 4 against movement. This action, illustrated in Fig. 6, initially moves the lower edge 52 of the slot 38 upwardly against the bottom edge 53 of the bar 31 thus tilting the end 38 upwardly and relieving the wedging action of the pins 44 and 49. The latch will remain in such non-clamping position until a load is again applied whereupon it instantly clamps.

To release the latch for lowering the seat, afinger engaging trigger. 54 is provided preferably in a position for ready access. As shown, said trigger 54 is carried on the upper end of a rod .55 which extends downwardly through a central opening 56 in the seat 28 and has its lower end connected at 51 to the bar 31 inwardly of the inner clamp plate 42. Upon pressing the trigger 54, the bar 31 is tilted downwardly at itsend 43 as illustrated in Fig. 7, to relieve the As shown, the arcuate plate 42 iswedging action of pins 44 and 49 against the respective plates 42 and 48. Accordingly, the seat may be lowered to any height selected while the trigger is engaged.

The extending ends of the bar 37 preferably are concealed by a suitable housing 58 which may consist of two dished substantially identical circular pieces of sheet material, preferably joined on their outer circumferential edge by rivets or welding, and slidably mounted around the lower member l4. The housing 58 affords a foot rest for the stool and is attached in any suitable manner to the inner member 2| so as to move in unison therewith.

One method of securing the housing 58 to the inner member 2| is best illustrated in Fig. 4. As there shown, two rods 6| extend through diametrically aligned openings 62, provided therefor in the inner member 2| and have their free ends extend freely through the diametrically opposed slots 45 and 46 in the outer member 4. One end of each rod preferably is offset, as shown, sufiiciently to provide a short vertical portion 63 to engage in a notch 64 in the associated wall of the housing 58 and the other or straight end of each rod engages beneath said housing. Consequently, the housing is joined to the inner member I4 and is held against rotation.

Although an exemplary structure has been shown in detail in the accompanying drawings and specifically described in the foregoing specification, it is to be understood that the .disclosure is by way of illustration only and not restrictive and that the invention is to embody such modifications in detail as will fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable seat comprising a sleeve having a slot in at least one side wall, a post telescoped into one end of said sleeve and having an opening in one side aligned with said slot, a seat carried on said post, a clamp bar having one end extending through said opening and slot and having its other end loosely held at the opposite wall of the post, a clamp plate fitted in said opening and resting against the inside face of said sleeve, a cross pin adjacent the lower edge of said clamp bar resting against the inside face of said clamping plate, a clamp block disposed on the outer side of said sleeve, said clamp plate and block being slotted for the free passage of said clamp bar, a cross pin mounted adjacent the upper edge of said clamp bar and resting against the outer face of said clamp block, said clamp plate and block co-acting to clamp the sleeve therebetween when the bar is tilted downwardly at its loosely mounted end, and means extending through said seat operable to release the clamp.

2. An adjustable seat comprising a cylindrical sleeve having a slot in at least one side wall. a hollow post telescoped into one end of said sleeve and having an opening in one side aligned with said slot, aclamp bar having one end extending through said opening and slot and having its other end extending loosely through an opening in the opposite wall of the post, a clamp plate on said bar fitted in the aligned opening and resting against th inner side of said sleeve,

' a cross pin adjacent the lower edge of said bar resting against the inside face of said clamp plate, a clamp block on said bar arranged on the outer side of said sleeve, a cross pin mounted adjacent the upper edge of said clamp bar and resting against the outer face of said clamp block,

said clamp plate and block normally clamping the sleeve therebetween, and manual means operatively connected to said clamp bar operable to release the clamp.

3. An adjustable seat comprising a tubular sleeve having a longitudinal slot in at least one side wall, a hollow post telescoped into one end of said sleeve and having an opening in one Side aligned with said slot, a clamp bar having one end extending through said opening and slot and having its other end loosely held at the opposite wall of the post, a clamp plate fitted in said opening and resting against the inside face of said sleeve, a clamp block arranged on the outer face of said sleeve, said clamp plate and block being slotted for the free passage of said clamp bar, means on said bar to co-act with said plate and block to urge them into clamping engagement with the sleeve, and manual means operable to release the clamp.

4. An adjustable seat comprising a cylindrical sleeve having diametrically opposed longitudinal slots, a hollow post having one end telescoped into one end of said sleeve and having diametrically opposed openings in its sides one aligned with each slot, at bar fitted into said post having its ends extending through the respective openings and slots, a pair of clamp plates loosely mounted on one end of said bar, one of said plates being arranged in one of said openings against the inside face of the sleeve and the other disposed outside of said sleeve, said plates co-acting normally to clamp said sleeve therebetween to prevent relative movement of the sleeve and post in one direction, and means accessible for manual operation efiective when operatively engaged to tilt the bar and render said clamp plates ineifective.

5. An adjustable seat comprising a cylindrical sleeve having diametrically opposed longitudinal slots, a hollow post having one end telescoped into one end of said sleeve and having diametrically opposed openings in its sides one aligned with each slot, a bar fitted into and movable with said post having its ends extending through the respective openings and slots, and a pair of clamp plates loosely mounted on one end of said bar, one of said plates being arranged in one of said openings against the inside face of the sleeve and the other disposed outside of said sleeve, said plates co-acting normally to clamp said sleeve therebetween to prevent relative movement of the sleeve and post in one direction.

6. An adjustable seat comprising a cylindrical sleeve having diametrically opposed longitudinal slots, a hollow post having one end telescoped into one end of said sleeve and having diametrically opposed openings in its sides one aligned with each slot, at bar fitted into said post having its ends extending through the respective openings and slots, a pair of clamp plates loosely mounted on one end of said bar, one of said plates being arranged on one of said openings against the inside face of the sleeve and the other disposed outside of said sleeve, means on said bar to co-act with said plates when the bar is biased to clamp said sleeve between the plates and prevent relative movement of the sleeve and post in one direction, a housing on said sleeve to conceal the exposed portions of the clamping mechanism, and means connecting said housing with the post whereby the housing is movable therewith, said means preventing relative. rotation of the post and sleeve.

'7. In an adjustable stool, in combination, a standard, an external flange on the upper open end of said standard, a plurality of recesses in the top face of said flange circumferentially spaced inwardly of its outside circumferential edge, a bearing in each recess, a retaining plate overlying the upper open end of said standard and having a circumferential raceway to receive said bearings, a seat arranged over said retaining ring, and means on said seat underlying the circumferential margin of said external flange to prevent separation of the parts.

LOUIS WESLING. 

